This lesson is designed to have students learn about people who took part in the U.S. Civil War.
Objectives:
Students will use the Internet to access and read primary source documents.
Students will use the information they have used to write about people's experiences in the U.S. Civil War.
Activities
Part I
Choose one or more of the following to read from these Internet resources. You should at least read one diary entry. Take notes on what you read.
Part II
Historical Fiction (A story that is based on fact, but is embellished by the author to make it more interesting. The movie "Titanic" would be an example of historical fiction.)
Imagine your were alive during the U. S. Civil War.
A. Based on your reading and what you have learned about the Civil War, write a letter to your family telling them what your life is like in the War.
* Use as many facts as you can from your reading.
* Underline each fact.
B. Write a three paragraph newspaper article about one of the people you read about in the Internet Resources. Make sure to include Who the story is about, What happened, Where did it happen, When did the events take place, and How the events unfolded.
Time Line
Create a time line from the earliest date you read about until the last date. Place the facts about the people and events on the time line.
Evaluation
Your work will be evaluated for:
Internet Resources:
Letters Home From an Iowa Soldier in the U. S. Civil War
"These letters are part of a collection written by Newton Robert Scott, Private, Company A, of the 36th Infantry, Iowa Volunteers. Most of the letters were written to Scott's neighborhood friend Hannah Cone, in their home town of Albia, Monroe County, Iowa, over the three year period that he served as Company A's clerk. The final letter, describing the long-awaited mustering out in August of 1865, was written to his parents."
Edgar Clark's Civil War Letters
"Edgar Clark, my great, great, grandfather, was a Union soldier in the Michigan 3rd regiment during the Civil War between August 17, 1862 and August 23, 1864. During that time he wrote 185 letters to his wife and children describing his life in the army. The letters describe his encounters with Union and Confederate troops, battles, illness, injury, food and the living conditions at the time."
A brief biography of Charles Trowbridges, a African-American soldier who fought in the U. S. Civil War.
Extracted from "Army Life in a Black Regiment" - Higginson. Published: Fields, Osgood and Company, Boston, Massachusetts, 1870.)
Recounts the military career of Archibald Atkinson, Jr. as a doctor in the Confederate Army.
Female Perspective on the U.S. Civil War
Links to the diaries of two women who reflect on their experiences of the times.
Short Biographies on the leaders of the Union and Confederate Armies
This is a nice site that was created by students. It goals is to help other students learn about the U. S. Civil War.